Destino

I had a chance to view the Destino DVD and was highly impressed. I was impressed so much that I bought a suite (set of 6)from the time line done by Dali and Disney. The DVD captures the true surrealism that Disney (who would ever think of a talking mouse) and Dali is famous for. These two individuals that one would think we be as far apart in personalities would actually come up with one the best short films and some of the most treasured art work ever created. I am truly blessed to have seen such a work of art and truly honored to own a piece of history. If you have the chance to see the DVD or own some of the art work that has come out of this experience, jump on it. It is very rare that two famous individuals with such diverse backgrounds collaborate on such a unique piece.

I had the privilege to see Destino at the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.

It's the only place in the world where it plays on a regular basis.

It six minutes I believe.

I thought it was beautiful.

Enchanting.

If you can, see it.

I absolutely loved it.

At one time Disney and Dali wanted to collaborate for one of the former's compilation animated films (one could image this with Donald Duck, right?) and it kind of fell apart for reasons unknown. Thankfully Roy Disney picked up the mantle in the 21st century - after Fantasia 2000 the spark was reignited - and the results are rather extraordinary: it's like going into Dali's art gallery and seeing characters walk around.

One might almost be taken aback, if one knows Dali's art, how close a lot of this is to paintings he made. He is co-writer on the script, however, so I have to think this was how he intended it (a script was written for the short, it's hard to dismiss that at least). Par for the course for the co-creator of Un chien Andalou, the film has only the closest thing to a 'story' insofar as as there's a man, and a woman, and they want to be together, and passion ignites... except they're in a world full of uninhibited things, like ants which turn into men, eye-balls in tuxedo suits, and, at one (very clever) point in the background, a moon walking on spider legs.

It's not very long, only about seven minutes long, but the film never stops to amaze with how it presents its unique creature-creations and sights down long, distorted hallways with squared designs, and the distortions that can be provided by modern-day technology. The only thing holding it back from top-10-OMG-masterpiece terrain is that some, not all though, of the CGI animation isn't convincing. The characters themselves look great, as do several of the amalgamation-beings (eyeballs, insects, 'things', statues), but here and there a touch of the smooth look of CGI doesn't totally flow with the rest of the film. But this is a nitpick only for me.

What also carries this, and I have to think this was one of those elements in place when the film had its inception, is the song: Destino is passionately sung and performed, and it carries the viewer along with the images, just as the tango did in 'Andalou' - you can't really have what's on the screen without the melody, only here it's not as ironic or whimsical. It's a gorgeous experience, and I'm glad Disney decided to finish what it started, especially for a creator like Dali who had so few film projects realized in his time.

Normally, when I review a film, like everyone else, I give it a rating. However, occasionally I have come upon experimental films so unusual and so non-commercial that doing so would be impossible...and this is definitely the case with "Destino". It's a very surreal film based on story boards designed by Salvador Dali and so it's NOT the sort of thing the average viewer would enjoy...and it coming from Disney must have come as a real surprise to those who have seen it. It seems that back in the 1940s, Walt Disney and Dali wanted to collaborate and a few seconds of film were actually animated. But the project was abandoned and only recently did Disney's nephew, Roy, discover the film and commissioned a team of artists to complete the animated short. It's well animated but odd in every possible way and a film best seen and heard instead of describing. Well worth seeing if you don't mind experimental artsy films...I sure did.

There is no other way to visually match the haunting and lyrical piece, Destino. Utilizing a stunning array of Dali's most iconic pieces, this short tells a very emotional tale. It has left me without words to describe it. Simply, it is beautiful, breath-taking, stunning, and almost lyrical in the fluid change of the figures and icons.

The melody will haunt you for days as you struggle to fully grasp this masterpiece.

However, it is at times too Fantasia-like, too Disney, and not enough Dali. It can be taken as a superficial composition, but I like to think of it as more, as though Dali knew something that we do not and this short serves to inform us of his secret.